Etter Wins as Swiss Dominate Oslo Opener

Switzerland's Daniel Etter produced a spectacular win at the opening leg of the 2009/2010 Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping Western European League series in Oslo, Norway this afternoon. 

The 34 year old rider from Berne showed that he and his great campaigner, Peu a Peu, have lost none of the form that helped them contribute to their country's team gold medal winning performance at the Alltech FEI European Jumping Championships at Windsor in England this summer.  And, underlining the current strength of the Swiss, Etter's team mate Pius Schwizer slotted into second today with Ulysse.

Riders from 16 nations lined out in this highly-competitive opening fixture, and a total of 12 combinations qualified for the second-round jump-off including four from Germany and two from both Switzerland and The Netherlands. 

IMPRESSIVE

The first of the 13 qualifying legs in the Western European League took place at the impressive new Telenor Soccer Stadium on the outskirts of Oslo and course designer, Anders Hafskjold, pulled no punches when presenting a big, strong 13-fence track.  In previous years the Oslo fixture was often considered an easy target for early points in the winter-long series but with a world-class field, including six of the top ten in the latest Rolex World Rankings, Hafskjold showed no mercy, and those points were hard-won today.

Demanding distances and difficult lines caught out many of the sport's biggest stars and not even the newly-crowned individual European Champion, Kevin Staut from France, proved impervious to its challenges when he was one of only two riders to hit the white oxer at fence five and then found himself riding the last four fences without stirrups after his gelding, Le Prestige St Lois, threw a massive buck.  His fellow-countryman, Timothee Anciaume, also had a nasty moment when his stallion, Jarnac, fired him in front of the saddle after hitting the Rolex oxer at fence 10, but it was the triple combination that proved the bogey of the day.

The fourth fence on the course, it asked for a strong ride through two big oxers to the final vertical and, time and again, the middle element fell.  A total of 19 riders picked up faults here, and the middle element fell 15 times.

AGAINST THE CLOCK

Portugal's Luciana Diniz was the first of the 12 to go against the clock however and, with the former Ludo Philippaerts ride Winningmood with whom she is establishing a great relationship, she returned with a fence down in 37.15 seconds to set the early pace.  The Netherlands' Eric Van der Vleuten and VDL Groep Tomboy left the penultimate vertical on the floor in a faster time before Germany's Philipp Weishaupt and Catoki shaved another half-second off the target despite a mistake at the very last. 

It was Frenchman, Patrice Deleveau, who produced the first clear with a wild ride down the long run to the last with Katchina Mail - the bay mare having brought roars of laughter from spectators when pausing for an energising snack of the arena greenery before getting down to business.  Leopold Van Asten wisely opted for another copybook clear from the lovely grey mare VDL Groep Santana B - a 10 year old daughter of Mr Blue whose deliberate jumping style left her more than three seconds off Deleveau's target-time of  36.33.

Sole British representatives, Robert Smith and Raging Bull Vangelis, fell foul of the pentultimate vertical but then Pius Schwizer really threw down the gauntlet when seventh to go with Ulysse - precision timing and accurate judgement seeing the Swiss partnership home in 36.09 seconds and well out in front.  Germany's Marco Kutscher was more than a half-second slower when following with a clear from Cash and his fellow-countryman Daniel Deusser was a little slower again with Aboyeur so when Etter came into the ring with just two left to follow him it seemed Schwizer might not be caught.

The sheer confidence of Peu a Peu however gives this duo their advantage.  "He's such a great horse - he always gives me 100 percent and he likes it when I ask him to go faster!" Etter said afterwards.  Without appearing to be under any real pressure the 13 year old gelding went up a gear more than all the rest, and the bond of trust between horse and rider meant that Etter could turn him quickly after the second-last fence and run him down to the the final big Rolex oxer with all the confidence in the world.  As they broke the beam the clock showed 35.37 seconds and when double World Cup Jumping champion Marcus Ehning of Germany riding Sandro Boy and Italy's European team silver medallist Natale Chiaudani and SNAI Seldana di Campalto each dropped a pole it would be a Swiss one-two in the season-opener.

ONE OF THE TOUGHEST

"Peu a Peu is one of the toughest horses around" said Etter of the gelding who never seems to be off the circuit.  Their superb result at the Windsor Europeans was quickly followed by a trip to the Masters at Spruce Meadows in Calgary, Canada and the big, bold horse seems as keen as ever about his job.  "I'm very lucky with him, he's always been incredibly sound, and its great to win early in the World Cup season so that you can get the points and relax a bit later" he pointed out. 

However they don't plan to take any time out just yet because Etter will compete at the next leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping series next Sunday in Helsinki, Finland and in Lyon, France two weeks later before competing at the Global Champions Tour Final in Doha, Qatar, next month.

RESULT: 1, Peu a Peu (Daniel Etter) Sui 0/0 35.37; 2, Ulysse (Pius Schwizer) Sui 0/0 36.09; 3, Katchina Mail (Patrice Deleveau) Fra 0/0 36.33; 4, Cash (Marco Kutscher) Ger 0/0 36.78; 5, AD Aboyeur W (Daniel Deuser) Ger 0/0 36.95; 6, VDL Groep Santana B (Leopold Van Asten) Ned 0/0 39.89; 7, Catoki (Philipp Weishaupt) Ger 0/4 36.26; 8, VDL Groep Tomboy (Eric Van der Vleuten) Ned 0/4 36.89; 9, Raging Bull Vangelis S (Robert Smith0 GBR 0/4 37.13.  FULL RESULT AT http://www.scg-nl.nl/

ROLEX FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING 2009/2010 - STANDINGS AFTER FIRST LEG IN OSLO, NORWAY:
1,    Daniel Etter (Sui)        -    20
2,    Pius Schwizer (Sui)    -    17
3,    Patrice Deleveau (Fra)    -    15
4,    Marco Kutscher (Ger)    -    13
5,    Daniel Deusser (Ger)    -    12
6,    Leopold Van Asten) Ned    -    11
7,    Philipp Weishaupt (Ger)    -    10
8,    Eric Van der Vleuten    -     9
9,    Robert Smith (GBR)    -     8
10,    Luciana Diniz (Por)    -     7
11,    Natale Chiaudani (Ita)    -     6
12,     Marcus Ehning (Ger)    -     5
13,    Geir Gulliksen (Nor)    -     4
14,    Kevin Staut (Fra)        -     3
15,    Steve Guerdat (Sui)    -     2
16,    Giulia Martinengo (Ita)    -     1

FACTS AND FIGURES:
This was the first of 13 legs in the Western European League of the 2009/2010 Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping series.
There were 13 fences on the first-round track.
Riders from 16 nations took part in today's competition.
The venue was the new Telenor Soccer Stadium just outside Oslo city.
12 of the 40 starters produced clear first rounds and so qualified for the jump-off.
There were four German riders in the jump-off.
In the first round the most problematic fence was the triple combination at fence four, and particularly the middle element. 
A total of 19 riders faulted at fence four, and the middle element oxer hit the floor 15 times.
Two riders retired on course in the first round - Brazil's Rodrigo Pessoa (Champ) and Norway's Line Raaholt (Royal Son Z).

QUOTES:
Winning rider Daniel Etter of Switzerland - "Peu a Peu is one of the toughest horses around"

Daniel Etter, talking about Peu a Peu - "He's such a great horse - he always gives me 100 percent and he likes it when I ask him to go faster!"

Second-placed rider Pius Schwizer of Switzerland - "The arena in Oslo is fantastic - the footing is perfect and the lighting is wonderful.  This is a great venue and a great place to start the World Cup Jumping season".

Pius Schwizer - "We are in a very good position in Switzerland right now because we have a lot of good horses and riders and that always helps.  After our win at the European Championships we are on the crest of a wave and it feels great!".

VISIT www.feiworldcup.org for all the latest news, calendar and contact information and more.

WEBSITE FOR FIRST LEG OF ROLEX FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING SERIES 2009/2010 AT OSLO - www.oslohorseshow.com

PHOTO CATALOGUE - Photographs of the winning riders in high and low resolution can be downloaded from the FEI Photo Catalogue. To access it, please visit www.fei.org>Media>Photo Catalogue. There is no reproduction fee, but please credit photographer (photographer's name will appear
under each photo)/FEI. Usage is strictly for editorial purposes.

MEDIA GUIDE - The FEI is pleased to provide you with a Media Guide for the 2009/2010 season. The Guide is filled with useful facts, figures and statistics including the list of winners since the series began in 1978 and contact details to help you access all the information you need. You can download it from www.feiworldcup.org - click on Jumping then on Media. For a hard copy, contact FEI Communications - Email olivia.robinson@fei.org

2009/2010 ROLEX FEI WORLD CUP™ JUMPING SERIES - CALENDAR OF EVENTS FOR WESTERN EUROPEAN LEAGUE:
1, Oslo (Norway) 9-11 October; 2, Helsinki (Finland) 15-18 October; 3, Lyon (FRA) 28 Oct-1 November; 4, Verona (Italy) 5-8 November; 5, Stuttgart (Germany) 15-21 November; 6, London-Olympia (Great Britain) 15-21 December; 7, Mechelen (Belgium) 26-30 December; 8, Leipzig (Germany) 21-24 January; 9, Zurich (SUI) 28-31 January; 10, Bordeaux (France) 5-7 February; 11, Vigo (Spain) 11-14 February; 12, Gothenburg (Sweden) 25-28 February; 13, s'Hertogenbosch (The Netherlands) 25-28 March; FINAL - Geneva (Switzerland) 14-18 April

FEI World Cup™ Jumping has entered its 32nd season. The series, created in 1978, today comprises 14 leagues on all continents. The best riders from 121 preliminary competitions will qualify for the final in Geneva, Switzerland which takes place from 14-24 April 2008.

The Federation Equestre Internationale (FEI), founded in 1921, is the international body governing equestrian sport recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and includes 133 National Federations.

Equestrian sport has been on the Olympic programme since 1912 with three disciplines - Jumping, Dressage and Eventing. It is one of the very few sports in which men and women compete on equal terms. It is also the only sport which involves two athletes - horse and rider. The FEI has relentlessly concerned itself with the welfare of the horse, which is paramount and must never be subordinated to competitive or commercial influences.

For further details on the first leg of the Rolex FEI World Cup™ Jumping series in Oslo, Norway contact:
Press Officer: Ingjerd Skrelen Eriksen
Mobile : +4795 168797.
Email: press@oslohorseshow.com